Centrifugally-operated safety devices include such fall-protection devices as e.g. lifelines, self-retracting lifelines, fall arrestors, fall limiters, descenders, and the like. Such devices may comprise a housing that can be connected to a secure anchorage, and from which a line can be extended (e.g., with the outer end of the line attached to the harness of a worker). Such devices may further comprise a centrifugal braking mechanism that can limit or arrest the extending of the line from the device.